The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved an appeals process for high school seniors who are unable to graduate because they do not meet the LEAP test scoring requirement. BESE President Doctor Holly Boffy says this new policy will prevent teens from dropping out of school.
“Now unfortunately for some of our students this assessment requirement has been forcing them to drop out or to pursue a HiSET instead of a traditional high school diploma,” said Boffy.
Boffy says four-percent of high school seniors are unable to graduate, because they didn’t pass the LEAP test. She says appeals will be administered at the local school level.
“They have to pass all of their classes they need for graduation, they will have to demonstrate their knowledge in the area where they had not passed the LEAP and they have to show evidence of employability,” said Boffy.
Louisiana is one of eight states that still require minimum standardized test scores, but only Louisiana did not offer students an appeals process. Boffy says BESE recognizes some kids do not perform well on tests and that should not serve as the sole barrier from graduation.
“So we know that children do not all show their knowledge in the same way and what this process opens up is the opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge in a way other than standardized test,” said Boffy.
Comments